Toy railroad track



Feb. 5, 1952 Filed Spt. 4. 1947 R. M. HUSBAND TOY RAILROAD TRACK 2' sl-IEETs-SHEET 1 v INVENTOR. l E70/ef? /Yziaac Feb. 5, 1952 R, M HUSBAND v 2,584,388

' TOY RAILROAD TRACK Filed sept. 4, 1947 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 l INVENToR. 29 ZPe/z( /K/imza Patented Feb. 5, 1952 4 (CLL "assi-d10) longitudinally extending ribs or the like 26 which join with the cross ribs 25. The ribs 26 are positioned directly beneath the rails Il and with adownwardly opening cross slot-29., The

material thickness between slits `21"and 28 correspondsto the width of the base of the rail.

sections. Optional or modified' forms of locking pins are shown in Figures 1Q and 11. The les members 4I and 42 of the U-member need not be one piece, but may be replaced by two of the simple nails as shown in Figure at 45 or the cotter pins as shown in Figure l1 at 46. The

diameter and length ofthe rnails and cotter pins correspondto the legi` "IJ-member. J

FigureA shows normally abutting track sec-V tions spaced apart and showing a- UfshapedY sleeve member 3D positioned therebetween. The Y sleeve member 30 is shown in the detail perspective view of Figure 9. The sleeve 30has alongitudinal slit 3| in the center of its top as best shown in Figure '1 and is provided with vsides 32 and 33. an adjoining bottom 34, and inwardly turned top flanges 35 and 36. Transversely aligned holes 31.and 38 are provided in the side walls" 32 and 33 and are longitudinally spaced apart to register with downwardly opening cross slots 29. adapted to slide longitudinally into the slots or slits 21 and 2B into adjacent and abutting sections of toy railroad track while its top flanges 35 and 36 4simultaneously slide over base anges 2i and 22 of rail Il. the outer walls of slits or slots 21 -and28 serves to olvltwardlyY confine side walls 32 and 33 of sleeve member 30 yand prevents these walls from kbulging outwardly. ALikewise the material which forms the inner walls of slits or slotsv 21 and 28 serves to inwardly confine side walls 32 and 33 of sleeve member 30 and prevents these walls from collapsing inwardly. This external and internal connement of side walls 32 and 3,3 of

The U-shaped sleeve member is' rms '4l VaIidZ of the In operation the various track sections, whether they be straight or curved, are placed Yindesirfled abutting relationship to form a complete track. The rails Il and l2 are preferably metallictocarry electricity, and in order to more closely resemble a real railroad track, the tracks may be of rolled or extruded metal either solid in cross section or sheet metal rolled or formed to the shape of a rail. The tracks are coupled together by sliding on the.Y U-shaped sleeve member so thatr the longitudinally extending slot 3l in the upper surface thereof provides passage for the thin body portion 44 of the rails. VThe sleeve member 30 as previously The material which forms sleeve member 30 gives that member exceptional l stiffness .and resistance to distortion when externalforces are .applied which tend to cause misalignment of rails and/or roadbed at the joint'between adjacent sections.

The base 34 of sleeve member 30 bearsagainst the under side of the central portion of rib 26 lying. between slits or slots 21 and 28 while the undersides Vof the inwardly turned anges 35 and 36 bear on the top of the base flanges 2| and 22 of rail` I I.

This coupling construction performs four important functions: First, it. maintains lateral alignment of abutting ends of roadbed sections and' lateralA alignment of the rail endsV at the rail joints in addition to that provided by lugsV l1 and I3; Second, it maintains vertical align-V ment of abutting ends of roadbed sections; Third,

.itinsures that separable rails I l` and l2 be rmly held in position on the base supporting structure to resist angular distortion; and, Fourth, it pro- VAfter the track sections areij is applied to complete the coupling. The legs' 4 lV and 42 are slid transversely throughY the downwardly open slots 29 and through'the openings 31'and 38 in the U-shaped sleeve 30. so that the base 40 of the locking pin is positionable against the side wall 43 of the rib 26. The "U-shaped locking pin performsrthe function ofi-preventing -longitudinal separation of the adjacent track stated maintains the rails on the base supporting structure and holds the abutting track sections against lateral or vertical displacement, or displacement resulting from torsional strain. The nal portion of the coupling is the insertion of the U-shaped locking pin 39 which holds the track sections and thusV the Vrails Il and l2 against longitudinal displacement or separation.

While the drawings show a section of straight track, this basic design and this method of coupling the sections can alsorbe appliedl to sections of curved track, switches, cross overs, etc.

Numerous variations. of this novel-,coupling may be made without departing from the principles of this invention and I therefore do Y'not propose limiting the -patent granted hereon otherwise than as necessitated by the appended claims. Y

What is claimed is: f

l. For a toy Vrailroad track having a plurality of sections, each section having a supporting structure and rails having base flanges mounted on said supporting structure, a coupling for adjacent track sections comprising U-shaped sleeve members with inwardly turned topilanges adapted to engage the top surfaces of the rail base flanges in a, longitudinal direction. said supporting structures having their kends slotted to receive said U-shaped sleeve members, said supporting structures of adjacent sections and the adjoining U-shaped sleeve members having transversely aligned longitudinally spacedapertures, and locking means adapted to pass through saidaligned apertures whereby the track sections are held against separate longitudinal and transverse movement. e

2. A toy railroad track comprising a plurality of base supporting structures having pairs of spaced ribs extending longitudinally of said structures'on the top surface thereof, rails having base anges placed between said spaced ribs on said supporting structure, coupling means for said base supporting structures adapted to join end Vabutting structures and maintain the rails in fixed position, each of said coupling means -including a sleeve longitudinally slotted and having longitudinally spaced transverse apertures, said supporting structures being longitudinally slotted to provide passage for sleeve, said sleeve adapted to slide over the base flanges of the rails and portions of said supporting structures and through said longitudinal slots to maintain the ing legs adapted to transversely engage portions of abutting supporting structures and pass through the apertures in said sleeve whereby the rails and the plurality of base supporting structures are maintained in xed relationship.

3; For a toy railroad track having a plurality of sections, a supporting structure for each section, rails for each section, said rails having base anges mounted on saidV supporting structure, a coupling for adjacent track sections comprising U-shaped sleeve members with inwardly turned top anges adapted to engage the top surfaces of the rail base anges in a longitudinal direction, said supporting structures having their ends slotted to receive said U-shaped sleeve members, and means associated with said U-shaped sleeve members and extending laterally therefrom, said supporting structures having notches therein, and said means extending laterally from said U-shaped sleeve adapted for reception in the notches of said supporting structures whereby the track sections are held against separate longitudinal and transverse movement. v

4. For a toy railroad tr'ack having a plurality of sections, a supporting structure for each section, rails for each section. and said rails having 6 base iianges mounted on said supporting structure, a coupling for adjacent track sections comprising U-shaped` sleeve members with inwardly turned top flanges adapted to engage the top surfaces of the rail base flanges in a longitudinal direction, said supporting structures having their ends slotted to receive said U-shaped sleeve members, said slots to closely conne the side walls of said U-shaped sleeve members and maintain their vertical relationship whereby thetrack sections are held against transverse movement.

ROBERT M. HUSBAND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 204,007 Condict, Jr May 21, 1878 1,779,605 Koerber Oct. 28, 1930 2,153,624 Jones Apr. 11, 1939 2,186,186 Weinreich Jan. 9, 1940 2,188,894 Tyler Jan. 30, 1940 2,223,545 Bonanno Dec. 3, 1940 2,422,047 Schaian, Jr. June 10, 1947 

